Takedown light weight anchor



July 25, 1967 c. A. WINSLOW 3,332,387

TAKEDOWN LIGHT WEIGHT ANCHOR F iled March 28, 1966 FIGJ.

FIGS.

United States Patent 3,332,387 TAKEDOWN LIGHT WEIGHT AN CHGR Charles A. Winslow, Tiburon, Calif. (3009 Golden Rain Road 11, Walnut Creek, Calif. 94529) Filed Mar. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 537,802 Claims. (Cl. 114208) The present invention relates to anchoring devices for vessels or hydroplanes of any kind or type, or other purpose where anchors are required. The principal advantages of this anchor are that it can be relatively light weight and still have superior holding qualities for the reason that the anchor is designed to dig into the bottom, principally because of its design and construction rather than its weight.

An important feature of the invention is that the anchor is provided with six flukes rather than a stock and crowns, as is usual with conventional anchors.

For the purpose of illustration I propose to use the terms primary flukes and secondary flukes, said primary flukes being flat and in the form of the letter M with the outside edge being parallel to each other and the shank.

An important feature of the invention is that both the primary flukes and secondary flukes are spaced wide apart to the maximum width of the anchor and the primary flukes are pointed and arranged to dig into the bottom simultaneously, with the short fiat secondary flukes. In other words, no matter how the anchor may be dropped on the bottom, as soon as it is pulled, it will lay flat and will, by the action of both primary flukes and secondary flukes, dig in even on a hard clay bottom.

Another important feature of the invention is that it will not roll out, as will conventional anchors where stocks and crowns are relied on to properly position the anchor to dig in and make the anchors initial bite into the bottom. In my research I have found that all anchors employing stocks and crowns with pointed flukes that are relatively close to the shank have a tendency, when dragged through mud or sand on the bottom, to roll, thus first digging down and then rolling with a circular motion parallel to the shank and periodically coming up to the top again and this action is continually repeated unless the anchor just happens to jog down deep enough where the pull is not sufiicient to cause the anchor to continually roll. The bottom in which the anchor is buried is also important inasmuch as even a heavy bulky anchor with a lot of cross-sectional area sinks into the mud until it is floating at a definite level and from then on it simply slides along pushing a wad of mud ahead of it.

In operation on a soft bottom with the present invention a relatively thin cross-section is presented by the primary flukes which are first buried before the secondary flukes completely take hold. Both primary flukes and secondary flukes, spaced to the maximum width of the anchor causes the anchor to pull along in a straight line without rolling.

Referring to my Patents Nos. 3,182,624, 2,903,789, 2,977,921, 2,903,989 and 2,994,292, I have learned through research and experimental work conducive toward the invention disclosed in those previous anchor patents, additional new and novel features which will be disclosed hereinafter.

For example, the position and shape of the flukes on each side are important as modified. The hinge point of the modified stock and flukes is novel. Thus the stock is now a modified fluke. In operation, when the anchor as disclosed in the present invention is dropped on a relatively hard clay or gravelly bottom it lands on the two relatively sharp primary forward fluke points and on the far rear relatively thin sharp edges of the widely spaced modified "ice stock ends, which now act as secondary flukes, since all surfaces in contact with the bottom are thin and have a relatively flat 30 degree digging angle. Any motion caused by an adequate pull on the shank causes the anchor to slide ahead and down on an approximate 30 degree digging angle, until such time as the power required for pulling the anchor down into the increasingly more firm bottom is more than equal to the pull of the boat on the shank. Increasing the pull on the shank, incidently causes the anchor to go deeper to better holding ground with less inherent anchor weight than any anchors designed, built to tested by the writer to date.

In substantiation of this broad statement I call attentlon to the novel location of the point of origin of the holding leverage causes the maximum digging in power and maximum holding area with a minimum of anchor weight. For comparison the conventional Navy type anchor with heavy cast sections has a rule of thumb rating of 5-1, that is, a lb. anchor on an ordinary mud bottom can be depended on to hold approximately 500 lbs. before sliding along behind a wad of mud.

For example, even a small boat type anchor as shown on my drawings will hold more than 500 lbs. with the proper scope and on a bottom that can be penetrated by the all fiat very thin cross-sectional area, 30 degree digging angle and appropriate horizontal pull on the anchor shank.

For instance, every surface of the present anchor invention that is contacted by mud or sand pressure as the anchor is dragged on a horizontal line causes the anchor to rotate the points of the primary and secondary flukes (formerly stock) and to go down in an approximate vertical direction. The exact fluke digging angle and depth of penetration will depend on first, the type of bottom and second the pounds of horizontal pull on the anchor shank, rather than on the weight of the anchor alone. An example could be, for instance, an anchor made to scale entirely of light weight high grade thin section steel from my patent drawings, would outhold and out perform another anchor of considerable heavier cast construction in most any type of bottom.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment selected for illustration purposes and from the accompanying drawings, wherein I have shown a preferred form of the invention but wish it .to be understood that various changes in the size, shape and such modifications as can be resorted to without departing from the spirit, scope and the utility of the invention. These and other features of the invention are described in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical view of the anchor illustrating the large relatively flat holding area, and take down feature wherein six bolts can be used to completely take apart or safely hold together the entire anchor assembly.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the anchor taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and illustrates the assembly of the various parts and the 30 degree swing of the shank and means of control of said shank swing.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of one of the flukes 14- 15 and illustrates that the outer edge of the flukes are flanged thus providing stiffened primary flukes construction of A and B.

FIGURE 4 illustrates a bottom view of FIGURE 1 and indicates how the novel design construction parts are all clamped horizontally together with four bolts.

FIGURE 5 illustrates how the anchor goes down in a generally vertical direction below the surface of the bottom with a horizontal pull on the shank. Furthermore it illustrates how two or more of these small light anchors can be used in tandem to more than equal the holding power of a single larger anchor when provided with the novel plural cable attaching means of the present invention.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a boxing arrangement wherein one of these novel takedown anchors can be boxed for shipment or storage etc., in a package approximately one half of the total length, width and thickness of the anchor, as assembled.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 1 near the tip of one of the primary flukes 14- 15 and indicates that the outside edges of the flukes are flanged to strengthen and stiffen the fiukes with a minimum of total weight. The vertical dotted line 6 indicate that in larger size anchors the flukes edges etc. can be formed in a T section for greater stifiness with a minimum of total weight.

Referring to the drawings, the various similar parts are all identical, such as shank parts, upper 10 and lower 11, secondary fluke stock combination right 12 and left 13, primary fluke right 14 and left 15. Fluke clamps 16 and 17 and also the bolts 13 through same are all identical and will fit the mating parts and the matchin holes provided.

The preferably hardened hinge pin 19 is mounted at bottom and half way through lower shank 11. The entire parts assembly is mounted on the hardened hinge pin 19, one half of said parts on each side of the coupled shank 1011. Said hinge pin 19 forming one point of extreme balance with all anchor assembly parts with maximum weight on fluke points 121214'and 15, FIGURES 2-4.

In operation, as the anchor is dropped and lands on line 21-22 and then is dragged by the shank 10 and cable attachment 20, all weight is concentrated on those fluke points which happen to be in contact with the ground, thus causing down rotation of said points causing them to dig deeper into the bottom on which the anchor is being dragged. Thus as the entire anchor assembly weight is pinioned at the rear end of the shank 10-11 and is caused to rotate ahead with points down to a controlled 30 degree digging angle it is plainly evident that with the pull ahead on the shank, the anchor will be guided to a deeper and better holding ground. The depth, eventual drag and resistance or maximum holding power, depending on the hardness and type of the bottom material and not entirely on the weight of or size of the anchor.

Thus the widely spaced relatively sharp contact points of both the primary and secondary flukes cause the total anchor assembly to roll ahead, points down and immediately bite into the bottom rather then slide along on a .slippery muddy bottom surface as is the case with heavy sectional cast Navy type and other heavy anchors.

Increasing the horizontal pull on the shank incidently, causes the anchor to go deeper to better holding ground with less inherent anchor weight than any anchors designed, built or tested by the writer to date.

In substantiation of this broad statement I call attention to the novel location of the extreme rear point of origin of the holding leverage which causes the maximum digging power and maximum holding area with a minimum of anchor weight. For comparison the conventional Navy type anchor with heavy sections has a rule of thumb rating of -1, that is, a 100 lb. anchor on an ordinary mud bottom can be depended on to hold approximately 500 lbs. before sliding along behind a wad of sand or mud. For comparison, even a small boat type anchor as shown on my drawings will hold more than 500 lbs. with the proper scope and on a bottom that can be penetrated by the all 30 degree surface of contact areas and the very thin section and 30 degree total digging angle and appropriate pull on the shank.

For instance, every surface of the present anchor invention that is contacted by mud or sand pressure as the anchor is dragged on a horizontal plane causes the anchor to rotate the primary and secondary flukes (formerly stock) down in a generally vertical direction. The exact fluke digging angle and depth of penetration will depend on first, the type of the bottom and second, the pounds of. pull on the anchor shank rather than entirely on the weight of the anchor.

As an example an anchor could be made to scale entirely of light weight high grade thin section steel from my patent drawings, that would outhold and out perform another anchor of heavier cast construction in most any type of bottom.

From the foregoing it is plainly evident that the anchor invention shown and described has many advantages over conventional heavier anchors in common use aboard boats etc. It can also be manufactured very economically entirely from bar and strip stock ifldesired and can be sold as a so-called knock down type delivered in a small package as indicated in FIGURE 6.

For instance, in small boat sizes a fisherman could conveniently carry a disassembled and packaged 5 or 6 lb. anchor in his tackle box that would be only one half of the size of the assembled anchor. On the other hand the anchor in large sizes with rubber tipped fiukes as indicated at 29 in FIGURE 4 could be sold as a completely safe assembled unit ready for use.

Many other advantages will be evident from a study of the drawings and specifications. Modifications may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit, scope and intent of the invention.

Therefore what I claim is:

1. An anchor comprising two flat primary flukes, an elongated fiat shank located between said flukes, a hinge pin extending transversely below said flukes and through said shank, a U-shaped clamp for securing said hinge pin to said fluke means, said clamp means extending parallel to said hinge pin, and having legs overlapping said flukes,

holes in said flukes and said legs, and means removably inserted through the holes to secure the clamps to the flukes.

2. Claim 1 including; said clamp means being removable and comprising a stock for said anchor when assembled and a complete take down disassembly means when removed.

3. Claim 1 including; said elongated flat shank being provided with cable attachment means on both ends, said means, comprising multiple anchorage means for a single cable.

4. Claim 1 including said elongated flat shank being provided with central assembly and disassembly means and said anchor being provided with detachable formed stocks comprising means for anchor takedown, whereby all of said anchor parts when disassembled occupy no more than one half of the total assembled length, width and thickness of said anchor.

5. Claim 1 including; said clamp means across the bottom of said flukes comprising, formed, opposite, removable stocks or crowns, said formed stocks or crowns comprising in turn means to limit and control the degree and movement of said elongated flat shank in its angular relation to said flukes.

6. An anchor as claimed in claim 1, wherein all parts comprising the total anchor assembly on said hinge pin is composed of identical pairs of matching parts, said pairs of parts, when mounted on opposite sides of said shank and clamped on said hinge pin with identical bolts, com prise a takedown light weight anchor.

7. Claim 1 including; said clamp means across the bottom of said fiukes and parallel to said hinge pin comprising secondary flukes and crowns on the bottom edge of said primary flukes.

8. Claim 7 including; said fiat primary flakes and said secondary fiukes and combined crowns forming a degree angle when assembled.

9. Claim 1 including; said clamp means being removable and formed to comprise, a pair of opposite stocks, a pair of opposite crowns and four secondary flukes on the outer edge of said primary flukes.

5 10. Claim 1, wherein said removable means comprises through bolts provided on opposite sides of said elongated flat shank, for holding all of said anchor parts together as a working unit, or when removed, comprising a dis- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,182,624 5/1965 Winslow 114-20'8 assembly means of separating all of said anchor parts for 5 MILTON BUCHLER: Primary Examiner:

compact shipment.

T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ANCHOR COMPRISING TWO FLAT PRIMARY FLUKES, AN ELONGATED FLAT SHANK LOCATED BETWEEN SAID FLUKES, A HINGE PIN EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY BELOW SAID FLUKES AND THROUGH SAID SHANK, A U-SHAPED CLAMP FOR SECURING SAID HINGE PIN TO SAID FLUKE MEANS, SAID CLAMP MEANS EXTENDING PARALLEL TO SAID HINGE PIN, AND HAVING LEGS OVERLAPPING SAID FLUKES, HOLES IN SAID FLUKES AND SAID LEGS, AND MEANS REMOVABLY INSERTED THROUGH THE HOLES TO SECURE THE CLAMPS TO THE FLUKES. 